The Sinister Ones

Being left-handed helps athletes in one of two ways. If you are a left-handed batter in baseball, most of the pitches you see, because most pitchers are righties, start away from your body and come towards you. The angle works in your favor: you don’t have to turn your head as far, you get a better and longer look at the ball. That’s the less common kind of advantage, and perhaps confined to baseball and (maybe?) cricket: the more common one is simple unfamiliarity. Left-handed pitchers with mediocre stuff can make a living in the majors for a very long time because there aren’t that many of them: right-handed batters may get the angle-advantage but they don’t see a lot of lefties and so are less comfortable batting against them. Similarly, when Manu Ginobili has the ball for the San Antonio Spurs, the other team’s coaches immediately start shouting, Don’t let him go to his left! Not that defenders don’t know this already; but they play most of the time against righties, and muscle memory seems to work against their conscious intentions. Again and again Ginobili manages to get past them while driving to his strong hand. Coaches throw up their hands and curse. Doesn’t he know the guy’s gonna go left??

How much of an advantage is it to be a left-footed soccer player? A pretty big one. The soccer equivalent of Ginobili is Arjen Robben, one of those inside-out wingers Jonathan Wilson has called our attention to. He makes the same move several times in every match, dribbling towards the goal from the right wing, then planting his right foot hard in the turf and cutting in, preparing to launch a rocket with his strong left foot—and again and again defenders get caught leaning the wrong way. Coaches throw up their hands and curse. Doesn’t he know the guy’s gonna go left??

In these situations Robben is dribbling left-footed to start with, and pressing generally leftwards, all of which tends to make defenders, defenders who spend the great majority of their time dealing with right-footed players, wary of a sudden dart to the right—so when he just goes harder to the left they can quickly fall a step behind. Likewise, many of Messi’s most dangerous and disruptive attacks start from the right: he dribbles left, slows just a bit, then punches the ball again to the left as he accelerates—and sometimes he does this three or four times in a single sequence of dribbling, stuttering his way horizontally across the pitch, with the result that when he finally does fire off a shot he’s made his way to the opposite side of the goal. (The first highlight here is a pretty good example, though we might need Richard or Brian to come up with a different soundtrack for it. Also, in the legendary Maradona-Messi Matching Marches of Mayhem, both of them zag their way consistently leftwards: Maradona does zig once near the end, though, famously, the ball never touches his right foot the whole run. Messi, cutely, plays against type by finishing a la derecha.)

Because habit and muscle memory work so consistently against defenders of left-footed players, I wonder if it’s not even better to be a strongly left-footed player than to be ambidextrous. The most ambidextrous players I can think of are Cristiano Ronaldo—surely the most powerful off-leg in the world—and David Villa, and while both of them are aided tremendously in attack by their range of options and unpredictability, there’s something about the left-left-left moves of Messi, Robben, Maradona and their like that seems uniquely effective. It’s sort of like playing rock-paper-scissors against someone who always throws rock: you keep thinking, Okay, this time he’s got to throw paper—but he never does. You’re going to have to adjust, because he’s not about to. Why should he? He’s beating you every time.

The Sinister Ones

I’ll gladly co-sign all of that. I’ve walked into every team I’ve “tried out” for ever, merely because of my left-footedness. Playing in from the right almost feels more “natural” (in an offensive sense) as well, because you always seem to have more options cutting in (passing to runners, far post cross, cutting back or just shooting) than playing on your strong side.

Still, I get pretty frustrated when a Messi or Robben pulls off some magic against one of my teams…

A player most sinister in MLS would be Arturo Alvarez. The fans know he is going to the left, the defenders know he is going to the left, even the parking lot attendants know he is going to the left. And yet, Alvarez continues to find success with his playing proclivity. When asked why he doesn’t work on his right-footed game, he replies “Why should I?”

Indeed, there seems to be little reason for Alvarez to adjust his game. He is continuing to get call-ups to the El Salvadorean National Team and sizable paychecks from MLS. Some believe he will proved an instrumental pick-up by Real Salt Lake for the 2011 campaign. And all summer long he will continue to dribble down the right, cut left, and fire shots on goal. You know what you’re getting with Alvarez, and that is just fine by him.

I’m sure I’m not the first person to say this, but one thing I find interesting about left-footedness is the way it exploits the basic mechanism of athletic training. As Alan points out, what makes left-footed attackers so effective is that defenders’ muscle memory tells them the player will cut the other way. But it’s not a coincidence that they have that muscle memory—it’s something that’s been drilled into them by endless repetition in practice until they’re essentially programmed to react a certain way before they can think about it. Athletic training is all about getting certain routines past the conscious mind and into the muscles, but the moment you change a key variable like the footedness of the attacker, the program misfires and that asset becomes a liability.

Totally agree. I grew up playing basketball more than soccer, only coming into the latter fairly recently. One of the things I hated was guarding a lefty shooter. They’d always get their ugly, left-handed shot off because I had it drilled into my brain to lift my left hand to contest a righty shot.

My dad retained usefulness in local pickup games long after he lost his athleticism, thanks to his lefty set-shot.

Interesting. But it’s not solely the left-footedness, rather a combination with position on the pitch. The common factor with Robben and the examples you have linked to, was the combination of left-footedness with positions on the right flank – almost permanently in Robben’s case, and as part of a roaming brief with Messi/Maradona.

When a left-footer plays on the left, right backs would be expecting the attacker to go left, to the outside, because that is the traditional method – outpace your man and create a crossing opportunity. The advent of Jonathan Wilson’s inside-out wingers challenged the age-old status quo and posed a new problem.

So, as a follow-up, does the right-footer playing on the left accrue an equal advantage?

Another thing about left footed players; why is it they all, literally all, have tremendous strikes of the ball due to a frustratingly indescribable difference in technique to right footed players? Is the body that asymmetrical? Do the laws of physics differ when hitting something left to right as oppose to right to left?! I can’t put my finger on it. Hatem Ben arfa, roberto Carlos, laurent Robert, Ryan giggs, john arne risse, Charles n’zogbia, Charlie Adam…these players are all left footed with a unique playing style, who only ever dealt in scoring screamers.

The sheer chaos and unexplainability of the sport is phenomenal isn’t it? I adore how this website exists to explore the science and philosophy behind football. Keep up the great work.

(and forgive my awful misuse of capital letters, I wrote this on my mobile)

Van Persie playing as center forward provides an interesting case as well. Able to pivot left and right, not to mention his fabulous close quarters dribbling skills coupled with a rocket left foot makes him dangerous tactically. Cool article.

Despite the Glass Man status, we enjoy watching Robben for this very reason. We know he’s gonna do it every match, we shout “And there he goes!” when he does. It never gets old. Thanks Alan for the interesting POV.

It is interesting though that this “inside out winger” business started off initially because Capello wanted to play Gullit and Lentini in the same team but they were both right-footed. He played Lentini on the left as this player was still fairly adept at getting crosses in with the left foot but the added benefits of being able to cut inside for shots or to link up passing moves towards the centre were quickly apparent and he soon enough had a lefty playing on the right in Savicevic, and the rest is history. Naturally, Rijkaard carried on the method at Barcelona, playing Ronaldinho on the left and Messi on the right and now it has become de rigueur.

Maradona was different since he’d always been a classic No. 10 or second striker from the beginning of his professional career whilst the likes of Messi and Dinho, Cristiano Ronaldo started on the wings in the first teams and only later on were they given scope for roaming around.

There’s certainly something about left-footedness and powerful shooting. There have been so many left-backs or wingers with uncommonly powerful striking technique, especially coming from Brazil, e.g. Rivalino, Eder, R. Carlos, Branco, Rivaldo, Adriano, but in every other country too. You don’t always see the same kind of strength in players on the other side.

Even more remarkable than say, Messi or Robben’s ability to constantly pull that same fake and cut move is Samuel Eto’o’s ability to do that same move on the right side despite muscle memory and whatever other excuse you can come up with. Watch any Inter match and you’ll see him do it time and time again.

@Shann Good point, Shann. Eto’o has that freakish burst, that sudden jet forward or (yes) to his right, that no one else has. Even supremely quick players, like Messi, don’t have that particular kind of quickness. It gets him space when you don’t think space is possible.

@A I wonder though if left-footed rocketeers are so noticeable because there are so few left-footed players. There are plenty of right-footed players who hit the ball just as hard – Shearer, Yeboah, Le Tissier, Hasselbaink, Okacha, Trézéguet*. Left-footed players do seem to have a higher level of technique, but they are prized assets, particularly in English football, and they stand out from a younger age, and thus often get more coaching.

*I presume at least one of these players isn’t, in fact, right-footed – it’s always hard to remember the righties.

Don’t want to be contrary but it is telling for me that none of those players you mention actually strike the ball as hard as the lefties I mentioned! Ha!

Sure, there’s no doubt there have been plenty of rightfooted players who kicked like a mule but my point is that this trait would appear more commonly in left-sided players, especially if they are of Brazilian extraction, and especially more so if they happen to play as proper wing/wingbacks. There were those of other places as well, e.g. Pearce of England, De Agostini of Italy, Mihajlovic of that Balkan state that keeps changing its name etc…these possessed exceptionally strong shots on which a large part of their fame rested.

The same doesn’t hold for opposite right sided positions, even in Brazil, at least in my experience. I could be way off statistically of course…

I’d say an exception to this rule over the past 12 months is Adam Johnson. Playing on the right but being incredibly left-footed, he’s won an awful amount of penalties faking to come inside and then bursting down the outside and drawing a foul/penalty. He still mostly comes inside, but maybe 20% of the time he changes it up – and this only frightens defenders more as they know he can do both.

@Alan Jacobs Indeed. Bales strength is the power and momentum of his runs. No mind games – just catch me if you can. Although one could argue this is also his downfall as some fairly average but disciplined fullbacks (P. Neville, Onuoha) have stuck tight to him and he’s struggled to find a plan B.

I missed this at the time, but the New York Times had an article on left-handedness a couple of days ago that might be relevant here.

In general, said Dr. Geschwind, left-handers have less asymmetric brains, with more even distribution over the two hemispheres. “Perhaps a more accurate conceptual way to think about them is as non-right-handers,” he said. “Many of them are much more likely to be ambidextrous and have fine motor abilities with their right hands.”

@Alan Jacobs
Well, unfair only if you’re confining that comparison to their 2 head to head performances in the CL and not say, their preceding body of work done independently of each other. I’d say you’d be the one getting the raw deal in that case!

All of this is brilliant, and reminds me of my favourite player of all time: Gheorghe Hagi, the “Maradona of the Carpathians.” His left foot was majestic, sublime, stupendous.

Don Howe, former Arsenal player and manager, noted that he had a “left foot like Brian Lara’s bat” referring to the legendarily ruthless West Indian batsman and his explosiveness. However, Ray Clemence (borrowing a phrase used to describe a Brazilian from the 1970 World Cup winning team) described that same foot as being so deft and delicate that he could “open a tin of beans” with it.

So, yes. I subscribe to the worship of left-footed players. As a left-handed penman, I can only hope their sinister ways transfer to my writing.

@Robin – Really not all… Ashley Cole is left footed and his shooting ability is quite poor. Patrice Evra doesn’t shoot that well either. Granted they’re primarily defenders, so unless you mean left footed attacking players, then I can’t readily come up with one that doesn’t have a descent shot.

@James T As a left-footed player myself, I can attest that the trait is not universal. If I had to choose a comparison that aptly describes my left foot, it would be Shivnarine Chanderpaul. For my right foot read Monty Panesar.

A friend of mine at work is a youth coach and he follows the kids from 8 to 12, U-11 is when they go from a smaller field to 11vs11 around here so they quite a bit of work on skills.
And he says once he is finished a 4 year cycle with the lads, everyone can center the ball from the wings with the left and right.
I thought he pulling my leg and when we were at the indoor training facility once he asked me over and asked me to pick 5 boys from his squad. Each boy took the ball down the wing ran towards the corner flag and lofted respectable kicks in the box from both feet.
He then did a simple drill with him positioned at the top of the box and a kid running at him with ball and they play a quick 1-2 and the player kicks hard on goal (guess who was the goalie?) once with the left and one with the right.
Practice pure and simple.
He said to come back next year when his group goes up and he takes another group 4 years younger. He never sees more than 1-2 kids who are truly as good with both feet but 4 years later, they all will be.

Having a young player be adept with both feet as well as learn the intricacies of inside/outside of foot seems like a normal thing to do but its in the execution and specific coaching that makes the difference. Not allowing talented youngster’s to coast on one great leg is part of that.

He also says that he’s witnessed when lived elsewhere that many youngsters will hide their abilities at being adept with both feet because they fear being banished at left back!!
He says Kolarov and Bale make it easier to sell to kids aware of european soccer but its once theyre made to realize that they can cut inside to take shots with their right that many of the finally buy into it.

But as a guy who could got to my left and my right in basketball, I was often forced to play on my weak side (the left, where I could go at the net but the fadeaway was nowhere as effective as on the right… easier to block) simply because coaches had so few guys that could do it.
I was ahead of a few guys on the team who were more talented simply because I practiced for hours as a kid going to the left and right while most guys who were breezing by guys at one level, found the jump to the next level harder.

Now I dont know youth soccer really and the skills levels of good, great and amazing pre-teen boys but if those kids I saw continue to progress shouldnt we be getting more left footed players? He didnt consider them to be exceptional players and maybe one has a chance of playing high caliber youth ball and a chance for more. Im sure that soccer programs around the world spend time on working both feet.. its not exactly unheard of.
So why so little left footers at the pro level?

Btw, I believe throwing a baseball, american football, shooting a basketball is harder to do with both arms than it is to shoot a soccer ball with both feet so Im a bit perplexed as to the low numbers of ambidextrous players.

@Robin It´s true..shooting with your left foot is different not easier..but if you practice it extensively it becomes a powerful weapon….I use it a lot of times since I play on the left but I´m right footed

There are many players who are adept with two feet in addition to those mentioned in the artcle (Zidane, Original Ronaldo). However most of the best players practise from an early age without formal coaching and therefore will practise mostly with one foot even if they can use both.

Also when you are so good with one foot you often don’t need to be able to use your weak foot as well. Often true with righties as well as lefties.

This may all be well and true, but being left-footed is a massive disadvantage when playing – you guessed it – PES or FIFA. Instinctively I will always turn left when trying to dribble out a player, and with 98% of PES players right-footed, thats an unhealthy shimmy across the body that delivers the ball straight to the defenders right-foot. Its a well-worn excuse as far as my mates are concerned, but one I want to share with those yet to try it out.

There is an old anecdote set during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico. The Brazilian squad was enduring a training session when Rivelino, Gerson and Tostão (all renowned lefties) decided to have a little break. After a while Pelé approached them, and when everybody was expecting some kind of disapproval remark from the King, Rivelino looked at the best in the World and carelessly asked:

“Hey Pelé, tell me the truth, you would’ve liked to be a lefty wouldn’t you?”

I am a natural left footed player and I will tell you there is an advantage when dribbling past defenders who “give” you the left because they’re used to anticipating the right movement of players. When going at them, I go left as soon as they start to turn their hips to my right. That gives you plenty of time to skip past them as they struggle to make up that lost ground. Shooting left on a goalkeeper who’s not experienced is an advantage too. He is waiting for that left to plant so when the ball is coming off a half step earlier, he’s caught off-guard.
I was able to play at college level as a walk-on just because I was a lefty and could run fast and do my skipping left move past opposing players just enough times to create a handful of chances during the game.

Im all left. Left handed and left footed…what has irked me over the years is the cry from someone on the opposing team ” he is left footed , keep him on his left” or ” he’s only got the left foot”…ive had that when i was a kid playing underage football and i still hear it from time to time whether its playing junior football or a kickabout with friends. Am i missing something here , surely most players are right footed.. and you dont tend to hear ” he has only go the right foot!!”

Well I’ve started letting attacking players make as many feints to the left as they feel are necessary because if I’m going to get beat by someone, I want them to work for it by using their “weaker” side, not the one they practice with and have confidence in. That just means watching players in warm-up and during the game so you know which side they favor of course. So far it has served me quite well and frustrates a lot of opponents when I just sit there instead of biting.

This is all true. If one practices enough, one can develop power and accuracy in the weaker leg, and I know that from personal experience. But it takes time, and time is sometimes better spent perfecting the good leg rather than developing the weaker one, or on other aspects of one’s game…

The best players i have played with in the past have been left footers. They also seem to have un-natural power in their left also. Its like they are so one footed, they are granted extra power to compensate.

Brilliant stuff, this. The muscle memory theory is spot-on. People forget how much of football is about instinct when they wonder why Robben is so successful despite being so predictable.
Curiously, right-footed left-sided players don’t seem to have the same kind of impact as Robben or Messi or Adam Johnson. Could this be because most holding midfielders (the next player an inside-out winger will encounter after cutting inside the fullback) are right-footed?
Oh, and left-handed batsmen in cricket do not have the baseball advantage. On the contrary, most right-handed bowlers push the ball across and away from left-handed batsmen, unless they bowl from around the wicket, which is a fairly rare occurrence.
This can be an advantage when there isn’t much deviation off the pitch, since it gives them more room to free their arms and play their shots, but a massive disadvantage when the ball moves around. And in the later stages of five-day matches, when the area outside their off stump has been scuffed up by hordes of right-handed bowlers following through, they can have a tricky time against spin bowlers pitching in the ‘rough’.
(Apologies for getting all technical)
And Sachin Tendulkar doesn’t throw left-handed. He does sign autographs left-handed, though.

Its not jus being left sided…there are many rubbish left footers but its the talent and creativity..robben and messi are fantasy players with the type of ability they have…being left footed isn’t a great advantage as right footed players dominate…think Ronaldinho or Zidane or more relevantly Nasri and Iniesta. I think being left footed is much ado about nothing if u ask me….a right footed player playing on the left is as effective as a left footer on the right….take Robinho or Etoo for example

@KK Right footed players have similar success..at his time at Real Zidane played distictly from the left, nasri and arshavin play from the left, nani plays form the left, villa plays from the left…its down to the skill of the player not his footedness…more right footed players have won world player awards

@Peter Behr There’s a similar legend about Puskás, perhaps apocryphal, that he was compelled to become left-f0oted as his father could only afford to purchase one pair of boots and his elder brother got the right one.

on a maybe not so much nitpicky note and rather late, Cristiano Ronaldo can’t be one of the most ambidextrous players you can think of (Villa has his moments). And certainly not Dzeko… I chuckled.

Talking about ambidexterity (not just shooting, but dribbling and passing, which way harder to do than the first), the ones I’m aware of as today are Pedro Rodriguez, Shinji Kagawa, certainly Pirlo, Ahn Junghwan also had his moments of left foot dribbling (Asian footballers will virtually never prevent themselves from performing a pass or shooting on their weaker side), Luis Aguiar usually takes Free Kicks and corners with both feet depending on wether he wants to in-swing them or out-swing them which is brilliant (I believe Overmars did that), Glenn Hoddle was probably the most ambidextrous of the lot and one cannot forget Laudrup, which weaker and stronger sides, alike Hoddle, when passing, would be something difficult to determine.